Making progress

In my last post I mentioned that I was going to try a new basting method.  Well, I used this method and I am so impressed!  The quilt is double bed sized, and usually this would take me about 4 hours to baste on the floor.  Not to mention the aching neck, back, knees and wrists.  I was all done in 2 hours, and the basting was far more extensive than usual.  As this all took place on my dining table there was no aching involved.  I can see me using this method all the time in future.  I was worried that I was going to get fed up of cutting the basting from the area to be quilted, but it has been no problem whatsoever. 

Here is the basting, if you can make it out (you can click on the picture to enlarge)

This is the next square to be quilted, so I just need to clip a couple of threads before I start.

I'm using a variegated thread by King Tut.  I think these may be my favourite threads for machine quilting.  I love the finish they give, and they glide so smoothly through my (increasingly more finickety) machine.  Here is the pattern I have chosen for the quarter square triangles.

I know my fmq needs improving, but I'm pretty pleased with how it's looking.  I'm about a third of the way through these blocks, and growing in confidence with each one.


I still have to decide how to quilt the alternate blocks

I'm swaying towards an orange peel design.  What do you think?

Friendships

Do you ever wonder what sort of a friend you are?  I have been asking myself this question just recently.  I think I am generally a fairly good friend.  I'm a great listener, and a solution finder.  I like finding things that people need.  I'm very easy going, and don't have huge expectations - I'm low maintenance!  I remember birthdays (I may not always remember to buy a present, but I remember the day!)  All in all, I don't think I'm too bad.

However, there is an uncomfortable truth I have to face.  I am also the person who gave my very best friend an unfinished quilt for Christmas in 2011.  I hadn't quilted it as I was about to attend a free motion quilting course, and I wanted to use my new skills on this project.  How is it, then, that one year later I am no further forward with this quilt?  What sort of friend am I really?

You will be pleased to know that I am putting this right.  Despite having a host of ideas whirling around my head, I have pushed them aside for now.  I am determined that the first quilt I finish this year will be my friend's.  I have finished the border and am ready to start making my sandwich.  Fortunately I have everything here I need to complete it, so there are no excuses.

I have been looking at Sharon Schamber's herringbone basting method here. I like the look of it, and I think I'm going to try it for this quilt.  It's the biggest one I've made in a while, and the last double bed quilt I had trouble keeping the backing flat, even with extensive basting.  I'm hoping this will help.

Here is the top at the moment. 

I really love all the different greens in this, and the little bits of red to add some zing.  I hope I can do it justice with the quilting.  If you are reading, my friend, thanks for being patient with me, and for being the friend I'd like to be. 

A Leap into the Unknown

In the autumn my sister asked if I would make her a quilt to give her boyfriend for Christmas.  He is a Karate Sensei, and she wanted a quilt to represent his art, and also his karate school.  She wanted to include some kanji with his personal and club motto, and also an photographic image of his silhouette.

What could I say?  I was completely terrified!  This was completely outside of my comfort zone, and yet I knew how much my dear sister had emotionally invested already, when it was still just an idea.  We got together to discuss the design further, and we bounced lots of ideas around.  The kanji to be used translates as"the peaceful way", and this set the mood.  I went away to look at fabrics, and this is what I found

This is a Kona Bay fabric called Sanctuary.  It was perfect for the background, and the name clinched it!

 This lovely batik reminded me of the sea in a storm, all those swirling blues and greens.  This would be the first border.

Having surreptitiously questioned C I knew that he loved cranes, and when I found this on Etsy I knew it would tie together the various design elements as the final border.

Finally, I found this fabulous kanji fabric for the backing and binding.  I was ready to go.

I knew that I wouldn't be able to make a start on this until the beginning of December, after the mayhem of the Bazaar had passed.  However, i found myself completely unable to start.  I had a serious case of the jitters.  Still, I was working to a very tight deadline, and I had to just knuckle down and make that first cut.  After that, it all got much easier.  I even finished it 2 days before my deadline!

Here's the finished article

Unfortunately, the quilting doesn't show up well, but there are rays of sunshine emanating from behind the silhouette.

 I quilted a sort of zen raked sand garden pattern on the lower half of the background, and a water design on the inner border.  On the outer border I outline quilted the cranes to make them stand out a bit more.

I can't believe I finished it.  Of course, it wasn't nearly as onerous as I was expecting.  In fact, it was all quite straightforward (except for the quilting on the inner border - the thread broke 23 times.  I know because I counted!)

Now, what shall I start as my next project?

Catching Up

So the latter part of 2012 certainly went with a whirl!  I got caught up with helping to organise the Christmas Bazaar at Thing 2's school, as well as holding my own stall at said Bazaar.  To say life was a little manic is a slight understatement, but it's all good practice as I have volunteered to run the Bazaar next year.  Gulp.

Here are a few of the quilty things I made for the Bazaar, and for myself!

I made this little wall hanging as a twin to Frosty, and they do look super cute together.

I found this lovely Christmas tree fabric in my local quilt shop, Nature's Threads.  In fact, I liked it so much I bought the whole bolt!  You'll be seeing more of this.

A set of 4 snowman placemats.

 

A couple of years ago I bought these preprinted gingerbread people stockings.  I quilted them with a very seasonal variegated thread in reds and greens.  I think they turned out ok.

I have a thing about moose (mooses?)  I just can't resist them. When I was digging through my pattern draw I found this one, and knew he would look fabulous on a stocking - my stocking!

I made a Santa in the same style, and let my ever suffering husband have him.

Recognise this fabric?

I had bought a couple of jelly rolls of Blitzen by Basic Grey for Moda.  I love the funky patterns.  I bookmarked a pattern by Polkadot Chair on Moda Bake Shop ages ago, and I used this as a starting point for my table runner.

 I quilted a trio of holly leaves and berries in the stripey sections.

I found this backing fabric in my stash, and it was the perfect match.

I also made a set of placemats to match.

Phew, that's a lot of photos.  I have to say that I really enjoyed all the sewing I did for Christmas, it really helped to get me in the festive spirit.  However, I did then have a very important commission to start, and finish, for Christmas.  I'll tell you about that next time!

Winter Trees

This is the name I have decided upon for my flannel quilt.  It seemed fitting to me, as the fabric range is Shaded Oaks by Holly Taylor and I have quilted it with an all over tree design.  I finished quilting it on Friday and finally got the binding on this afternoon.  Here it is in all its snugly glory.

 I really do love these colours.  They remind me of walks in the woods on frosty mornings.  Coincidentally, today we had our first frost.  I am still hoping to fit in a stroll in the woods, but both time and daylight are starting to run out.

 This is my first attempt at an all over design, and the little trees seemed most appropriate to me.  Okay, I know they look like arrows, but I think they have a cute charm!  It wasn't the easiest to quilt, as all those layers of flannel were pretty bulky in the throat of my machine.  My neck and shoulders were definitely complaining at the end.  What are the chances of Father Christmas filling my stocking with a lovely long arm this year?

 I used the sashing fabric to back it also, just to keep things simple.  It shows the quilting up very well.  I was tempted to use a fancy thread in the bobbin, but haven't quite built up enough courage to try yet!  Maybe I'll experiment on a small quilt first...

Now I need to wash it, and I'm rather afraid it will shrink too much, or become too wrinkly.  Wish me luck!

A Time for Flannel

Whilst at my local quilt shop last week the lovely Sue showed me a layer cake of Shaded Oaks by Holly Taylor, in flannels.  Now I know that flannels are not to every one's taste, but I flipping love them!  I just can't resist their snuggly loveliness.  Needless to say, they ended up in my basket, along with a few other bits and pieces I didn't need and couldn't afford (how does that happen every single time I enter a quilt shop?)

I couldn't wait to get started using these, so abandoned my children to the care of Daddy, and spent Sunday afternoon planning what to do (I do learn from my mistakes!)  I needed this to be a quick make, so had decided on a brick wall layout.  Lots of cutting later and I was ready to start sewing properly on Monday morning.  The children were packed off to school, radio on and the sewing commenced.  Now this is where I can understand the dislike of flannel.  It certainly isn't an easy fabric to work with.  It's stretchy and open weave and sticks to itself.  I won't lie, there was a little bad language on occasion, but not so bad as to make the cat blush.

My day can probably be summed up with the phrase "just enough".  Here is what was left after cutting the sashing

 This is what was left over from each sashing strip.

My layer cake had four pale cream fabrics, that I didn't want to use, and I had just enough to avoid them.  Or so I thought!  Unfortunately I was missing one half brick, so much for my careful planning.  Still, I can live with this.  Here are the fabrics laid out.  Aren't they beautiful?

Here are the first two rows.  My photography skills aren't doing them much justice I'm afraid. 

My progress was unfortunately cut short by a call from the school to pick up my youngest.  I am hoping to get some more done today, but as he is still not quite right I am entertaining him at home again today.

Here he is snuggled in my quilt, the picture of cheekiness, even when poorly!

Meet Frosty

I'm really pleased with how he came out in the end, and am looking forward to my next design (although I will spend longer on the planning this time!)  I am also pleased that my neck coped with 2 days of sustained sewing.  Hoping it is well and truly on the mend now.

I have run out of energy, so am having some lunch in the hope it gives me some get up and go.  Wednesday afternoons are a bit manic for me, with 2 children having 2 different after school activities.  I leave the house at 2:30 and get back at 5:30, when we are all tired and grumpy.  I'm packing lots of energy bars today!